Chasing the Moon
by Caskett1960
Summary: Post 7x20 'Sleeper.' Romantic and fluffy because let's face it, Rick and Kate deserve romantic and fluffy after all of the drama of the past several months. Rated M. One-shot.


**DISCLAIMERS: 'Castle' is the property of Andrew W. Marlowe and ABC Studios Productions. No copyright infringement is intended. The story is the sole property of the author.**

 **TITLE: Chasing the Moon**

 **RATING: M**

 **SUMMARY: Post 7x20 'Sleeper.' Romantic and fluffy because let's face it, Rick and Kate deserve romantic and fluffy after all of the drama of the past several months.**

 **A/N #1: I got the idea for this after re-reading 'A Bright, Shining Hope.' In that story, Castle recounts for Kate a story about them spending one of their anniversaries in Hawaii. I just decided to change the timeline a bit.**

 **A/N #2: Since this is a one-shot story, I'm not going into detail about every second of their trip; just one very special night.**

 **CHASING THE MOON**

It was the early morning moments that Kate Beckett loved the most. Those rare mornings when she awoke before her husband and got to lie there, watching him sleep. She itched to touch him, to smooth her fingers through his hair, but she knew if she did, he'd instantly wake up. And she really wanted him to sleep.

The whole Hawaiian getaway had been her idea. Somehow she'd managed to finagle a few precious days from her captain so that she could get Rick away from the city. The last few months had been awful with the return and subsequent deaths of Jerry Tyson and Dr. Kelly Nieman and then Rick's recurring dreams of his disappearance. She knew that a few days in the Hamptons just weren't going to cut it. They needed to get as far away from New York as was humanly possible.

The moment they had arrived on the island, Kate had noticed the change in her husband. He once again became the man he had been before the nightmare of his disappearance had been thrust upon them. It was like a weight had been lifted from him. Their first night, after making love, he had fallen into a deep sleep, the first good night's sleep he'd had in a long time. Knowing that he was soundly sleeping had done wonders for Kate, too. For the first time in months, she also slept well. There were no nightmares of his car being on fire or of Kelly Nieman trying to rip off her face.

Now she was watching him sleep on their last full day on the island. Their flight was leaving early the next afternoon for New York. Kate hoped that they'd both continue to sleep once they got back home.

Rick stirred beside her before lazily rolling over, smiling when he opened his eyes to find her watching him. "Hey," his words were still drowsy. "How long have you been awake?"

"Not very long," she smoothed her fingers over the lock of hair that had fallen over his forehead. "How did you sleep?"

"Good," he stretched his arms above his head before reaching for her. "I think you wore me out last night, Mrs. Castle," his lips claimed hers in a long, slow kiss.

"That was the plan, Mr. Beckett," she teased him, smiling against his lips. "It's our last day in Hawaii, Castle. What do you want to do today?"

"I want to see you in that bikini that you wore on our first day. The one that had every guy on the beach eating his heart out that you weren't with him."

"You're such a showoff."

"No," he shook his head. "Although I do love showing you off. You're sexy and extraordinary and I thank my lucky stars every day that you're with me."

"I'm the lucky one. You could've given up when I told you about my walls, but you didn't."

"Giving up was never an option. Now, are we going to lie here and have a Hallmark moment or are we going to get up and go do something fun on our last day on the island?"

"Order room service while I take a shower," she kissed him before getting out of bed.

An hour later, they followed a concierge out onto the sand where he spread a blanket and set up a huge beach umbrella for them. Castle smiled at Kate, who was wearing a blue and green flowing cover over her bikini, huge sunglasses covering her eyes. She waited until the concierge left to go back to the hotel before slipping out of her beach cover-up, revealing a white bikini that rendered Castle positively speechless. "Close your mouth, Rick," she stepped up and softly kissed him. "Let's go play."

She took his hand and tugged him toward the water, where the waves were battering the shore. There were several people already in the water, riding surfboards or diving over the waves. The warm water of the Pacific was a welcome change from the much colder water they were used to when they waded in the Atlantic during visits to the Hamptons. Castle lifted Kate into his arms and carried her out until he was standing waist deep. He then carefully set her down on her feet while her arms stayed around his neck. She tightened her hold on him as the waves battered at them, trying to knock them off of their feet, but not quite succeeding.

"Did you wake up early this morning just so you could watch me sleep?" He grinned down at her.

"Maybe," she hedged, dipping her head down and biting her lower lip.

"Can I just say that coming here has been your best idea ever?"

"I think so, too," she pressed up and kissed him, tasting the salt from the ocean. His arms tightened around her and he deepened the kiss, their lips and tongues eagerly exploring until another wave crashed into them, knocking them both off of their feet and under the water.

Within seconds, they both came up for air, spluttering and laughing. "Let's move back to dry land," Castle laughed, taking Kate's hand and slowly wading back to shore.

They ran across the warm, sugary sand to their nearby blanket where they both dropped, still laughing. Castle reached out and tucked Kate's wet hair behind her ear. "Why were you watching me sleep? You're always telling me that it's creepy when I watch you."

"I'm just happy that you're sleeping again. It seems like forever since you've gotten a good night's sleep."

"I think it's been a long time since either of us have slept well," he pulled her down to his chest, rubbing circles on her back, teasing the tie on the back of her bikini.

"Castle, this isn't a nude beach," she warned him with a smirk. "If you untie my top, you're a dead man. I doubt Capt. Gates will find it very amusing if I get arrested for public indecency."

"Maybe not, but think of the story you can tell our kids," she could practically feel his smile.

"Castle, I will gladly tell our children how we met, how you proposed, even how they were conceived," she propped herself up, fixing him with a glare. "However, I _will not_ tell them about how their father almost got their mother arrested."

"Okay," he conceded. "Can I take you back to our room and untie your bikini?"

"Soon. I want to stay out here for a while longer," she sat up, watching the parade of people walking by. She remained pensive for several minutes, her arms wrapped around her knees before once again lying down at her husband's side. "You should've seen the moon last night!"

"The only thing that I saw after I was done making love to you was the insides of my eyelids," he once again reached out to touch her damp hair. "What about the moon?"

"It was huge," Kate's eyes got huge in her face, causing Castle to laugh. "It reminded me of the movie 'Moonstruck.' I almost woke you up so that you could see it with me."

"Now I wish that you had. I would've loved sharing it with you."

"Maybe the moon will look the same tonight and we can chase it," her expression was so childlike that it melted Castle's insides to mush.

"I would love to chase the moon with you," he brought her closer so that he could kiss her, his hands once again roaming her back. "Can we go back to our room now? My fingers are itching to untie your bikini top."

***CCC***

Castle couldn't stop staring at Kate when they were seated for dinner early that evening. She was wearing a white silk dress that clung to her body, showing off her golden bronzed skin. She had paired the dress with diamond teardrop earrings that he'd given her for Valentine's Day. Her hair was piled on top of her head, leaving curled tendrils. "Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" His voice was soft and tender, causing her to blush.

"Thank you. You look kind of hot yourself," she teased, rubbing his knuckles.

Castle was dressed in a pair of dark slacks and a dark suit jacket, his white shirt casually unbuttoned at the neck. "Kind of hot, huh?" He bantered back, leaning forward to kiss her just as their waiter appeared.

"Good evening," the waited smiled. "I'm Marcus and I'll be your waiter for this evening. Can I start you out with something to drink?" 

"Yes, we'd like a bottle of your finest red wine," Castle smiled at Marcus.

"Very good, sir. I'll bring a bottle of our best right out to you," he bowed slightly before leaving their table.

Dinner was wonderful; although Castle was pretty sure he could have been eating sawdust for all that he cared. His wife had him completely captivated, just as she always did. They chatted about all kinds of things; his latest book, their friends at the precinct, Martha and Alexis. He'd never been able to carry on these conversations with either Meredith or Gina. With them, everything had been about them. With Kate, he'd truly found someone who was as interested in what he had going on with his life as she was with her own life. "So, are you still thinking about taking the captain's exam?" He asked her over a wonderful crème Brule.

"I just sometimes wonder where I'm going next, Castle. I'd love to move forward in my career, but I also want to start a family with you," she gave him a gentle smile as he reached for her hand. "Castle, I don't want to be one of those moms who only spend a few hours a day with their children."

"We're going to figure this out. I don't want you to have any regrets. Like you told me a few weeks ago, if you take the test and pass it, then your decision will be made for you."

"So you think I should take it?"

"Kate, I've known you long enough to know that if you don't take it, you're always going to wonder if you could've passed it. Now, I don't know about you, but I'd like to go and see if we can see this fabulous moon that you saw last night," he signaled for the check, smiling when Marcus immediately rushed up to their table.

"I hope that you enjoyed your meal," Marcus smiled as Castle removed his credit card and handed it to the young man.

"It was wonderful. Thank you, Marcus."

"You're welcome, sir. I'll be right back."

After signing the receipt, Castle got up from his chair and helped Kate from her chair, smiling when she slipped a thin lacey shawl around her shoulders and picked up her clutch. "Do you want to walk back toward the hotel?" He asked when they stepped out into the balmy night.

"That sounds nice," she leaned into him as they began walking down the sidewalk. "There it is, Castle," she pointed up at the night sky.

Castle looked up where Kate was pointing. "Wow," he breathed in, staring at the huge, white moon in the sky. It looked like a giant snowball. "I've never seen anything like it."

"I must've sat up in bed staring at it for an hour last night."

"I wish you had awakened me."

"Well, we can share it tonight," she smiled before softly kissing him.

"So, do you want to take this back to our room?"

"Well, we could," she pulled back with a mysterious smile. "Or we could walk and see if we can chase the moon."

"Kate," he groaned, "you're killing me."

"Play along, Ricky," she lightly brushed her fingers across his fly, "and I promise that I'll play with you when we get back to our room."

"You've got it backwards, Beckett," he tugged her closer, his lips grazing her neck. "I'll play with _you_."

"Oh, yes," she sighed.

"Come on, before I pull you behind one of these buildings," he took her hand and pulled her down the street, delighting in the sound of her laughter.

They continued walking down the street, following the moon. Their stroll soon brought them to within earshot of piano music. Castle glanced at Kate, who nodded, loving how they were always so in sync with one another.

The piano music was coming from the bar in their hotel. Castle guided Kate to a table on the patio, where they could still see the full moon up in the sky. Within seconds after they sat down, a waiter appeared at their table. "Good evening. My name is Ben. How may I help you this evening?"

"Two glasses of Chardonnay," Castle smiled.

"Yes, sir."

"It's a beautiful night," Kate said, smiling when she glanced up at the sky.

"Yes, it is. The locals say that when the moon appears that large, it brings happiness," Ben said. "I'll be right back with your wine."

"Happiness, huh?" Castle smiled, taking Kate's hand in his.

"I don't know about you, but I'll take all of the happiness I can get," she leaned forward, meeting his lips with her own.

"You make me very happy," he whispered against her lips. "Happier than I've ever been since Alexis was born."

"You make me very happy too, Rick," her eyes glistened. "I love you so, so much."

Castle was about to say something when Ben rematerialized with their glasses of wine. "Will there be anything else?"

"No, we're good. Thank you, Ben," Castle smiled, waiting until Ben left the area before turning his attention back to Kate. "Now, where were we?"

"Right about here," she moved toward him again, her tongue grazing his lower lip as he opened to her.

They finally broke apart when the need for air took over everything else. "Would you dance with me?" Castle rested his forehead against hers.

"I'd love to," she smiled brightly as he stood up and took her hand, leading her inside to the small dance floor where a few other couples were already dancing. He pulled her close, his hand moving easily to the middle of Kate's back as they moved to the soft jazz music that was playing.

Kate rested her chin on his shoulder, breathing in the scent of his cologne as Rick moved them around the dance floor. She loved dancing with him. She loved the idea of just being close in his arms. "Hey," she whispered in his ear, "what do you say that we go upstairs so that we can play what you want to play?"

"I thought you'd never ask," he took her hand, leading her out of the bar and over to the elevator.

Once in their room, their clothes quickly went flying all over the room as Castle walked Kate back toward the bed, his lips never losing contact with hers. Feeling the edge of the bed against her knees, Kate fell across it, scooting into the middle with Castle following after her, his lips still kissing hers, his hands blazing a trail down her mostly naked body.

Castle's lips left hers, kissing along her jaw line, down to her collarbone, and finally down to her breasts. "Castle, yes," Kate sighed when she felt his lips close over her right breast, his tongue flicking over her nipple, his hand caressing her left breast, rubbing her nipple with his thumb before switching sides and showing her left breast the same attention he'd just shown her right breast. All the while, Kate threaded her fingers through his soft hair, holding him close to her.

Castle heard Kate's disappointed sigh when he left her breasts to move further down her body. He loved the way that she smelled, the way that she tasted; he especially loved the different little sounds she'd make when they made love. She bucked up against him when he kissed her stomach just above the top of her lacy white panties. He hooked his fingers into the sides of the barely there lingerie and slid them down her legs, leaving her naked to his admiring gaze. She opened her eyes and smiled at him, her eyes filled with lust and want. "Castle, I thought that you wanted to play," her voice came out as a playful whine.

"Oh, I do," he dropped down between her thighs, opening her legs with his hands. "I just . . . you are so damn beautiful."

"Thank you," she barely breathed as she reached for him, pulling him to her for a long, slow kiss. "You're not so bad yourself."

"I thought you told me earlier that I was hot," he teased, his teeth gently nipping her bottom lip.

"Oh, you are," she reached down to stroke him, her thumb teasing his tip as he shuddered and groaned against her. "You are extremely hot."

He reached his hand between her legs, hearing her groan when she felt him exploring her wet center. "You're so wet, Kate."

"I want you inside of me, Rick. Now," she hooked her leg around his hip and attempted to guide him inside of her, but Castle quickly moved out of her grasp. "Castle, don't tease."

"You told me that if I played your game of chasing the moon, you'd come back here and we'd play what I wanted to play. I want to hear you scream, Kate. I want to hear you scream my name while I make you come until you can't come anymore. And then," he softly kissed her once more before sliding down her body, "I'm going to make you come some more."

Castle was the master when it came to oral sex. He knew tricks that Kate had never even heard of. Kate had learned that it took very little for Castle to turn her into a boneless mass from countless orgasms. She let out a loud cry at the first touch of his tongue between her legs. He soon covered her entire mound with his mouth, humming against her, the vibrations going straight through her, exciting her even more.

Castle held Kate's hips down with his hands while he continued feasting on her, feeling her bucking her hips up against his mouth, her loud cries of pleasure filling the air. It never failed to make his heart swell with pride to know that he was the person making those sounds come out of her mouth; that he was the one who got to feel her writhe under him, over him and around him.

Kate felt the coiling tension beginning to build in her belly, radiating all through her body. Her thighs began to tremble as her orgasm continued to build. Suddenly, Castle clamped down on her clit, brushing it with his tongue and Kate exploded. Her hands tightened in his hair as he continued working her over with his lips, tongue and fingers, quickly bringing her to a second orgasm. Soon the sensitivity got to become too much. "Castle, stop," her words were breathy pants. "No more."

He remained between her shaking legs for a few minutes more before moving back up her sweaty, panting body. She could taste herself on his lips when he softly kissed her, his hands brushing her hair back from her face. She could feel him, hard as steel against her stomach. She hooked her leg over his hip, slowly rolling them so that she was now on top, smiling down at him. He groaned when he felt her rubbing her wetness against him before taking him in her hand and positioning him at her entrance, biting her lip and groaning at the feel of him stretching her. Placing her hands on his chest, she began to move up and down on him. It didn't take long before she felt that familiar tingling beginning again.

Castle placed his hands on her hips, guiding Kate's movements on him. Their moans mixed together in a sensual symphony of sound. Kate moved down, her mouth attacking Rick's as her movements became choppier, her cries more strident. He groaned when he felt her muscles flutter and tighten around him when she came.

Castle wrapped his arms around Kate, rolling them back over. He covered her mouth with his own and began to thrust into her, feeling her squeeze around him with every thrust. "Oh god, Kate," he groaned into her mouth. "You're going to be the death of me if you keep doing that."

"You know you love it," she wrapped her legs around his ass and squeezed him again.

"Yeah, I definitely love it," his mouth came down hard on hers once again as her nails clamped down on his back.

His lips moved from Kate's mouth to her neck and collarbone as she bucked up against him. "Castle," she chanted out his name as she felt herself beginning to soar into ecstasy once again. "I'm so close, Castle."

Knowing what she needed to push her over the edge; Castle reached down and pressed his fingers into her swollen bundle of nerves. Kate threw her head back and screamed out his name as she came. Hearing her scream of pleasure sent him over the edge of the abyss. He shuddered against Kate's breast as he emptied himself deep inside of her.

After several minutes, Rick pushed himself up and smiled at Kate, who was still trying to catch her breath. He then looked past her and out of the window, where the huge full moon was shining brightly. "That moon is really beautiful," he softly kissed her, "but it doesn't come close to outshining you."

"You're so sweet," she cupped his jaw, rubbing his stubble with her fingers. "Thank you for sharing the moon with me."

"I will share everything with you. Thank you for suggesting this trip."

"I think we both needed it. I love you," she sat up so that she could share another kiss with him.

"I love you, too," he slowly rolled off of her, climbing under the covers and pulling her close to his side, smiling when she immediately rested her head on his chest.

They both fell into a satiated sleep with the full moon shining through the window, illuminating the two lovers.

 **A/N #3: I was going to post this for #FanficMonday or #FluffyFriday, but then I decided why do I need a special day to post a fic?**

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